


Uncomfortable Loyalty

by Kerioth



Category: The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Use, male-male friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 09:44:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2807993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kerioth/pseuds/Kerioth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Costis's plans for his life continue to be disrupted by his king. Takes place just after <span class="u">King of Attolia</span>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Uncomfortable Loyalty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KrisEleven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrisEleven/gifts).



Three days after the king's sparring match with Teleus, Costis was dismissed from the Guard. That evening, Costis sat down at a table in the tavern next to his friend Aris, listening to the other guards' conversations and slowly sipping a cup of wine. Costis had forgotten about the king's intention to detach him from the Guard until Teleus delivered the order, dropping him back out of his orderly life and into the realm of the king's machinations. His optimism over seeing Eugenides act like the king Costis knew he could be had faded, replaced by a growing uncertainty about his own future.

After they'd finished their first cups and had them refilled, Aris leaned over to ask in Costis's ear, “What do you think the king's planning now?”

“I don't know,” replied Costis. “And I don't think there's anything I can do except wait, and hope that the king spares me from the suspense before I lose my mind completely.” Costis was exaggerating, but he did feel like he was balanced on an edge, like a cart about to roll down a hill, or like the king walking the palace wall at night. He took another sip of wine, hoping that it would help.

It was closer to morning than midnight by the time Costis dragged his feet up the stairs to his room. He batted the curtain aside just enough to enter, dropped onto the edge of the bed, and bent to unlace his boots by feel while his eyes were still adjusting to the dark. He flinched when a sudden movement caught his eye.

“There you are, you silly bastard,” said Eugenides. “Where have you been?”

The king was visible only as an outline, lounging at his ease on the stool at the foot of Costis's bed. Costis attempted to cover his startled reaction by lifting a hand to rub his eyes. From the darkness behind his eyelids, he heard the king's soft laugh and grimaced behind his hand.

“Your Majesty,” Costis said, lifting his head to meet the king's eyes, “what are you doing here?” He thought he managed the question without slurring the words.

“I asked you first.” The king crossed his ankles in front of him and tucked his hand behind his head. He looked perfectly willing to sit there all night, and it made Costis start to feel wary.

“I was at the tavern with Aris and some of the other guards. Have you been waiting long?”

“Not terribly long, but I've been meaning to talk to you all day and I don't know when I'll get another opportunity. I have a favor to ask of you.”

As he shifted to sit straighter on the edge of the bed, Costis began to regret the amount of wine he had drunk, as it put him at an even greater disadvantage than normal when dealing with the king. If Eugenides noticed Costis's indisposition, he gave no sign of it. Instead, he studied Costis's face with every appearance of patience.

The silence stretched until Costis felt compelled to speak. “I am entirely at your service, Your Majesty.” Some of his resentment must have come out in his voice, as Eugenides gave a wry smile before responding.

“I certainly hope so, although you'd better hear me out before you make any more choices you'll regret in the morning.”

Costis winced, and bit back what he realized would be a useless protest.

Mercifully, Eugenides continued his explanation without further comment. “I'm sending you north, to one of the forts on the border with Magyar, where you're to assist the captain in charge of the fort. There are some signs that the captain may have made the unfortunate decision to divide his loyalties between Attolia and another party. However, I haven't heard anything definite yet, which means I need more information.

“Also, there have been some disagreements between the Attolian garrison and the Eddisians stationed in the area. You'll have to be careful about who you talk to and the kinds of questions you ask, and I don't want you to get directly involved if you can help it, but see if you can find out whether or not there's something more behind the disagreements than personal or professional pride.”

Costis's eyes unfocused as he contemplated keeping a close enough eye on the behavior of an entire garrison to determine motivations while remaining inconspicuous enough to avoid accusations of spying. He now definitely regretted his fourth cup of wine, and was on his way to swearing off drinking forever, or at least until he could more accurately predict when his king might want to keep him up at all hours to discuss sending him on dangerous errands.

“What exactly do you want me to do?” Costis asked, hoping the answer to the question would help him find his bearing.

“Assist the captain with whatever you can, keep your eyes open, and be prepared to report back to me when you return.”

“If you'll excuse the question, Your Majesty, isn't there someone else you could send who would be better qualified to get the information you need?” asked Costis. “Why me?”

“At the moment, Costis, I have an abundance of enemies and a lamentable shortage of people I can trust. Usually they say that it takes a crooked man to recognize another crooked man, but I think in your case that an honorable man will work just as well. You may be overly strict in your interpretation of honor sometimes, but you can be a good judge of character. And besides, you may discover that this is all just a misunderstanding.”

Costis bit back a sudden yawn, hard enough that his eyes watered. Seeing the expression on Costis's face, the king stood up, clasped his shoulder, and said, “Get some sleep. You'll need it.”

As he lifted the curtain to leave, Eugenides turned his head to say over his shoulder, “I'll see you again when you're back. Just make sure you come back in one piece.”

When he woke the next morning, Costis had a headache, and he spent a few moments lying in bed looking at the ceiling, working himself up to get out of bed. Every step he took on the way out of his room and down to the mess hall felt like a step into the unknown. Costis still felt balanced on an edge, but he found that the king's trust in him gave him a reason to stay there. As extra insurance, he left an offering to the god of thieves on his way out of the city.

*******

When Costis returned from the border three months later, he was escorted directly to the king's chambers. As he waited for the king to return from the afternoon court, Costis settled carefully into a chair. He had just closed his eyes when Eugenides came sweeping into the room, waving his attendants back so he could shut the door on them.

The king scowled at Costis. “I thought I told you to come back whole and not get involved in other people's arguments.”

“No, Your Majesty,” said Costis, sitting up with one hand pressed to his bandaged side. “You said to come back in one piece, which I have done.” When the king narrowed his eyes, Costis added, “I didn't even lose that much blood.”

Laughing, Eugenides said, “I hope it was worth it, at least.”

Costis extended his other hand, tipped it from side to side, and gave the king a rueful smile.


End file.
